Two Firsts Today

hunterjoe21 · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject: Two Firsts Today

I took my first groundhog of the season today. He was also the first critter I killed with a handload from my .22-250 barreled Encore. There is some satisfaction when your carefully developed handload finally fulfills it's mission.

332 yards (measured with my Bushnell rangefinder)
.22-250
52gr Sierra Matchking HPBT (#1410)
32.8 gr Varget
Winchester case
Winchester LR primer
2.355 OAL

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Congrats!

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 5:08 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Good shot, Congrats.

Joe

rdwllce · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 5:38 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Very nice!!! Is it a TC barrel or a custom?

Vince · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:59 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Well done HJ....one down...many many more to go. Very Happy

Cheers, Vince

hunterjoe21 · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

rdwllce wrote:

Very nice!!! Is it a TC barrel or a custom?

It's a standard profile T/C barrel.

And Thanks to the rest of ya!

We worked for a long time to get this load, and couldn't have done it without help from the Nuts here.....

Jakson78 · Rookie Member Joined: Jul 22, 2009 Posts: 2

Good shot! very nice one. congrats!

whittling · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:19 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Nice !Congratulation on the kill.

chambered221 · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:28 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

How did I miss this ??? Anyways, job well done !!!

Have you tried the Blitz Kings, B-Tips or V-max bullets ? Hmmm, Did we have a thread about re-loading for this gun ???

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:47 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

chambered221 wrote:

:wtf: How did I miss this ??? ???

Ditto!

Damn fine shoot.

That second pic is a keeper. Cool

chambered221 · Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Hunterjoe, How’s the groundhog thing going??? Get anymore with the Encore??? Sniper

hunterjoe21 · Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

chambered...

I've not had the time this year to pursue killin' hedgehogs that I have had in years past. It seems like every time I try to set aside a day or two, some "emergency" creeps up. I think that for the year I've killed 12 or 13, mostly when asked to help someone eliminate a nuisance critter. The "best" year I had was in 2001 (before I bought my house) when I killed 87. That was before I had the Encore. Most of them fell to my Model 700 .243, the balance were killed by my Model 700 .308 (except for one I killed with the Benelli Nova 12 Gauge while turkey hunting).

I would guestimate that the Encore has killed 8 or 9 of this years total. It's a gun that I'm still working on "trusting". The .243 has always been my "go to" gun. I've not killed any at long distance with the Encore .22-250 (other than the one in the picture).

whittling · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:36 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

Have you ate any .

hunterjoe21 · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

whittling wrote:

Have you ate any.

I consider groundhog as buzzard feed. Between the buzzards and the 'yotes, not much goes to waste. If forced (due to starvation), I would cook and eat one though.

A line from the movie "Pulp Fiction" comes to mind every time someones talks about eating whistlepigs:

"Sewer rat might taste like punkin' pie, but I wouldn't know, 'cause I wouldn't eat the nasty MF'er".....

Insert "groundhog" in place of "sewer rat", and you have my feelings on the subject......

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:01 am Post subject: Re: Two Firsts Today

I've been told that groundhog is pretty tastey, considering that they generally feed on the same things as beef cattle, but I've never tried it. I think being shot with a .22-250 or equivalent would not leave much edible there.